Harry Potter and the Final Quest
by nicolehough
Summary: SPOILERS FROM HBP. Don't read full story if not done the book. Harry sets off from his 6th year at school, and does not know if he yet wishes to return. Dumbledore tells him to find Horcruxes. Rated T for now. Ch8 up
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer(I am not going to post this every time.):Harry Potter is not mine, though I do wish that it was. The only thing here that is mine is the plot, even which some of that may not be mine.**_

**I am not going to bother naming the chapters, because then i will just get confused, and sorry if tehre are spelling errors. I'm just using wordpad, and im used to word perfect. If you wish to leave a review, please feel free to. I would enjoy constructive critisism. I don't know how often I will update this, but I will try and keep with it. **

**BE WARNED. THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM HBP. IF YOU ARE NOT FINISHED THE BOOK, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU DO SO BEFORE READING THIS STORY.**

Harry Potter was sitting in the Weasley's backyard, thinking about what his new job was to do. He was destined to find the four remaining horcruxes and destroy them. Each one containes one seventh of Voldemorts soul.

Two were already destroyed. The first one being the diary that Ginny had in the seccond year. That one got a Basilisk tooth through it, and the seccond one that was destroyed by Dumbledore.

Harry thought of the old fool, and sighed. Professor, though he wasn't much of one now, Severus Snape had killed the greatest wizard of the day. Had Albus Dumbledore not trusted Snape so much, he might still be alive.

Someone came up behind him and threw her arms around him. It was Ginny. The girl who he had absolutely adored for years. Yet he had to break off their relationship at the end of the last school year. Harry feared for her life. Had they stayed together, he was afraid that Voldemort would have tried to use her to get to him as he had already done.

'Are you ready?' She asked.

'Yah, I guess I am.' He said. He got up and followed her to the back door of the house, and tried as hard as he could not to get dirt on his dress robes.

'Where is the wedding ceremony being held?' He inquired.

'Oh, Bill wanted it to be up in the paddock where we usually play Quidditch. He said that he has many fond memories there. Phlem-- I mean Fleur agrees that it should be heald there. She likes the smell of the grass. She is an odd one if you ask me.'

Harry just nodded.

Bill was one of Ginny's older borthers, along with Fred and George, the troublesome twins and Charlie, who worked with dragons in Romania. Then there was Ron, Harry's best friend, since the first train ride to Hogwarts.

The wedding went by quite nicely, and Harry couldn't help but see himself and Ginny up there someday, once the war was over, and Voldemort was gone.

Once the wedding was over, and Harry said goodbye to Bill and Fleur, he set off to pack a few days worth of things. He kept his invisibility cloak with him at all times. He was going to follow what Dumbledore had said even though he was gone now. That included his final trip to the Dursley's house.

He went to say goodbye to Ron and Hermione too, but he noticed that they each had a bag packed as well.

'Think you are gona say goodbye? I dont think so.' Said Ron before Harry could even think of what to say.

'We told you that we were going to go with you. Don't you dare think that we would back out on this kind of trouble.' Said Hermione.

'I don't want you guys to get hurt. I-' Harry was going to say he didnt want them to come, but he was cut off.

'We have been through almost as much as you have.' Hermione said.

'Alright, but I want you guys to listen. I think that we should brew some of that Felix Felicus, so that we will have luck during the next year. I mean, why wouldnt we need it. We are going on a quest to find Voldemort's soul.'

'It's a deal.' They chimed together.

'Do you think that you could hold off leaving for the muggles place for about 20 minutes? I think that I should get a head start on the potion. It does after all take 6 months to brew.' said Hermione smartly.

'Yah I'm sure that you could, I think that it is a good idea that you do it, afterall, my book was previously owned by a murderer.'said Harry.

'Oh, so you are going to give up on following the "Princes" instructions?'

'Yes, Hermione, I am, except for the ones that I already know work. You should go get started on the potion.'

'I will.' She said and she hurried off.

'How are we getting to the muggles place?' Ron asked.

'Apparate' Said Harry simply.

'But you arent of age and I don't have my licence.' He said sounding worried.

'But we do know how to do it, other than your eyebrow, well half of it.' said Harry laughing.

'I dont know if it will work'

'It will. Just remember the three "D"s. Destination, Determination, Deliberation. Its not that hard. I

transported me and Dumbledore at the same time.'

'Alright.' Said Ron nervously. 'But it's your fault if we get caught!'

'It's a deal' Said Harry

Fifteen minutes Hermione came and joined them and told them that the potion was coming along quite good.

Hermione was hesitant about letting the other two apparate, but then she cam up with an idea. 'What if I just do the side by side apparation with you two. It would be alot better than us maybe getting caught, well I mean you two getting caught illegally apparating.'

Harry thought that she had lost her mind by thinking that she could move all three of them, but he reluctantly agreed.

It went off without a hitch. He and Ron each put a death grip on each of her arms, and Harry told her '4 Privet Drive.' over and over and next thing they knew was they felt the familiar feeling of being squeezed in a tube.

Harry kept his eyes closed and when he opened them he saw the familiar sight of all the perfect lawns, in front of the perfect houses, and with the spotless cars sitting in the paved driveways.

He approached the house, knowing that the Dursleys wouldn't expect to be seeing him, when Aunt Petunia came rushing out of the house.


	2. Chapter 2

**Recap:**

_Harry kept his eyes closed and when he opened them he saw the familiar sight of all the perfect lawns, in front of the perfect houses, and with the spotless cars sitting in the paved driveways._

_He approached the house, knowing that the Dursleys wouldn't expect to be seeing him, when Aunt Petunia came rushing out of the house._

* * *

'Harry. I was wondering when you would be coming back. Vernon has been in a right state since you left last time. He really did not like that man that was here to pick you up. Who are they?' She asked inclining to Ron and Hermione. Harry didn't know why she was acting so nice. It was very odd of her to be doing so.

'This is Ron,' Ron nodded ' and this is Hermione.' She looked at Hermiones hair and recoiled a bit. Petunia didn't like anything out of the ordinary, and her hair was certainly something else.

'I suppose that you are here for the rest of the summer?' Petunia asked almost hopefully.

'No, just for a couple of days. They probably won't be staying for the whole time. They will probably go back to the burrow a few times.'

'The Burrow?' asked Petunia. Harry had a strange idea that she was thinking of a rabbits hole.

'Its the name of Ron's house.' said Harry, and after a pause and complete silence he asked 'Would Uncle Vernon mind if we came in?'

'No, well yes, but oh well, we could use your help.'

Help? Harry thought. What would the Dursleys need help with?

'I wouldn't mind if your friends wanted to stay here for the time that you are here.' Said aunt Petunia as she was shuffling around the magazines on the coffee table in the sitting room.

'What would you need us around for?' Harry asked. He was starting to get a wierd feeling that something wasn't right in the house.

'Well,' she started 'there have been people walking around in cloaks for the last three weeks. I was wondering if you could stay and see if you know them, and if they are in ... Vo-... You-Know-Who's group. I haven't let Dudders out of the house since we first saw them. He has been spending most of his time on his computer.' Ron surpressed a giggle with great difficulty at the mention of Dudley's nick-name.

'But what would they want here? I mean, how could they know where my family lives?' Harry asked. Petunia beamed. She never in her memory remembered being called Harry's family.

'I think that they might be looking for you Harry.' Said Hermione. 'They could have found out where you live by Mrs. Figg. She was at your trial in your fifth year, and she witnessed the attack of the Dementors. Then she went to the trial and well, you never know. One of those witches or wizards could be one of the Death Eaters.'

'Yah. I wouldn't put it past Umbridge to be with him. She loves power' said Ron trying to sound smart.

'Oh Ron. Will you give it up?' said Hermione.

'My first guess of Snape being evil was right. Wasn't it?'

'Well about that, I don't know if he is evil. Odd, yes, and murdering on Dumbledore's orders possibly, but we aren't here for that.' finished Hermione, seeing the evil look that just burned into Harry's eyes.

'Alright, so I am here because Professor Dumbledore told me to come because I need to be Protected until I am of age. I need to stay here over night, or possibly for a few nights so that I can still be protected.' Said Harry.

'So, will your friends be staying as well?' asked Petunia. 'Because I think that it would be wise to keep them as far away from Vernon as possible.'

'Whats wrong with him?'

'Oh, he just wasn't expecting for you to be bringing any friends along with you. He didn't really even want you to return, but I told him that you have been through alot and that you needed to return to some place that was familiar.' said Petunia.

'Well, we won't be here for very long. I expect that we will be leaving tomorrow morning at the latest.'

'Well if you leave at the right time, after Vernon goes to work, and you three stay in Harry's room I expect that he won't even know that you three were here. He is up having a nap right now. He hasn't been getting much sleep recently.'

'Why not?' asked Harry.

'Well I suppose that he was worried that you would return and get revenge on us mistreating you for so many years.' Aglint of fear sparkled in her pale eyes.

'I wouldn't hurt you or your family. Because you are my family, and you are my protection.' Harry had been feeling mixed emotions recently for the Dursley's. He most recently was feeling the fact so deeply that this was his mothers sister that he was talking to.

'Thank you Harry. I wish that we could have sorted this out years ago.' Petunia said 'That way we wouldnt have tried so hard to squash it out of you.'

'Well, um,' Harry was at a loss for words. 'It's getting late and we had quite the eventful day, so I think that we should be getting up tp bed.'

'Alright. How are all three of you going to fit in the one bed?'

'We aren't. Hermione can have the bed and me and Ron could find places to settle on the floor.'

'Harry, you don't have to do that, I could just as easily sleep on the floor. I am used to having sleepovers with my muggle friends. And I usually do sleep on the floor.'

'No, you are going to have the bed, or nobody will. Then there wouldn't be much room on the floor.' said Harry.

'Oh alright. So lets go.'

Ron and Hermione followed Harry up the stairs, and they found the smallest bedroom with all the locks on the door.

'Well, here is where I spent six summers of my life. It was alot better than than the cupboard under the stairs.'

It looked as though nobody had been in there all year to clean or even opent the window. It was very stuffy in there. The same old broken toys were lining the shelves like they always had. Along with some old muggle books. Those were what drew Hermione's attention at once. She grabbed one of the biggest ones from the shelve and settled onto the floor and started to read.

'I'll go get some more blankets for us to use. I don't expect for us to just sleep on the bare floor with out anything covering us.' said Harry as he was approaching the door.

About a minute later he came in with an arm full of blankets and laid them out on the floor. He grabbed his leg pillows and he pave one to Ron and kept one for himself.

'Goodnight.' Harry said.

'Goodnight' chimed the other two.

**

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**

**Son of Odin- Thanks for the review. I like this story so far. I usually get bored of writing.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Recap:**

_'I'll go get some more blankets for us to use. I don't expect for us to just sleep on the bare floor with out anything covering us.' said Harry as he was approaching the door._

_About a minute later he came in with an arm full of blankets and laid them out on the floor. He grabbed his leg pillows and he pave one to Ron and kept one for himself._

_'Goodnight.' Harry said._

_'Goodnight' chimed the other two._

The next morning Harry woke up to a car door slaming, and the sound of it rolling out of the driveway. He looked beside him and saw that Ron was still asleep on the floor. He looked on his bed and saw that Hermione wasn't awake either.

He got up and pulled on some different clothes and then left to start on breakfast for the other two.

'Nice sleep?' his aunt asked as he stumbled into the kitchen.

'Yes, it was fine.' He found things to be very akward in the kitchen between the two of them. 'I am about to make breakfast, would you like anything?'

'I'll have a piece of toast.' she replied as Harry got out the frying pans and turned on the stove.

'Are you sure thats all you want? You know I wouldn't mind making you some more.'

'Yes, I am sure.'

Harry threw a piece of toast in the toaster and then went to get the eggs out of the fridge along with the bacon. He got back to the stove and put some butter in the pan and then cracked two eggs for Ron, because he knew that Ron wouldn't eat his usual four when he was at a strangers house.

He buttered his aunts toast and placed it on a plate in front of her. He took the eggs off the stove, just as Ron came in, followed by Hermione, reading a book.

He placed the eggs in front of Ron and then got a start on making his and Hermione's.

'One or two eggs Hermione?'

'I'll have one please. Do you need help?'

'If you feel like making toast then sure, and Ron I don't expect you to help, you don't know how to use the muggle appliances.'

'You bet that.' He said as eggs fell out of his mouth.

'Here is some toast Ron' said Hermione.

'Thanks Hermione.'

When they were all done their breakfast, they went up to clean up the blankets and everything when Harry saw Dudley coming into the kitchen.

'Who are they?' He asked dumbly.

'These are my friends from school, this is Ron-' Ron nodded with a huge grin on his face as he was doing so '-and this is Hermione.'

'They are-um- you-know-whats... too?'

'Yes, Hermione is a Witch and Ron is a Wizard.'

He turned so fast and ran out of the room with his hands on his bottom, even though he could have easily squashed them all.

'That was my cousin Dudly.' Harry explained as they were on their way up the stairs. 'He is scared of magic.'

'I hope we get to see him again before we leave.' said Ron.

'Oh I doubt that.' said Harry.

Once they had tidied up the mess that they had made in the room, they all got their bags and were about to leave out the front door, when Petunia held the door shut.

'What are you-' Harry started

'Shhh. The people are out there right now.' she whispered.

Harry looked out and saw a woman with bubblegum pink hair, and a man with a very scratched up face.

'It's alright. They are on our side.' Harry said and he went out the door. 'You all stay here and I'll go out and aske them a few questions.'

He appraoched the man and the woman.

'Tonks. Remus.' he said to each of them.

'Wotcher Harry.' said the woman.

'Hello Harry. We are just checking in on the neighbourhood. You know. Dumbledore told us to keep watch on Mrs. Figg and your family.' Said the werewolf.

'I see, would you mind trying to dress more like muggles?' said Harry. 'I think that you are scaring most of the neighbourhood, and I think that people are getting suspicious.

'And Tonks. Would you mind changing your hair colour? I think that it is out of the ordinary for people to be walking around with pink hair here.'

'Alright Harry.' She screwed up her face and her hair turned a nice shade of blonde.

'Much better.' Harry said. 'Oh, hold on. Ron! Hermione! You can come out now. It really is them.'

Ron and Hermione came out of the house.

'Where are you three headed?' asked Remus.

'Oh we are headed to Ron's house for a bit more of the summer.' said Hermione

'Really? How are you getting there?' asked Tonks.

'Hermione can apparate all of us there at once.' Harry said

'Then she is a very strong witch.' said Remus. 'It's like with anything. The more there is to move the harder it is.' Hermione blushed at this.

'Well, we should be going now. We have lots to get ready. We will see you some time, possibly soon.'

'Oh before you go Harry. We need a new secret keeper for the Order.' Harry could tell that Remus was fearing this talk. 'I figured that since it was your house that we should ask you who it should be.'

'Alright. I say that you get it. You are the person in the Order that I am closest to and I trust you the most.'

'Really Harry? Thanks. That means that you will have to come to the place for the ceremony because you are the owner of the house.'

'Oh, then I will be there some time. I don't want to go quite yet.' Harry said sulkily.

'I understand. Just owl me when you are ready.'

The three of them then said goodbye to Tonks and Remus, who walked away holding hands, and diaspparated to the Burrow.

**Rkhiara- Thanks for the review. I find it interesting as well.**

**Barby-Black- I can't believe that he is gone too. Its sad, and here is the next chapter, two in one day... woohoo. Just to tell you, it won't go up this fast for the whole story, but I want to get as much up as possible while I am still very interested in it. You can probably tell that I lost interest in my other stories. Oh well...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Recap:**

_'Oh, then I will be there some time. I don't want to go quite yet.' Harry said sulkily._

_'I understand. Just owl me when you are ready.'_

_The three of them then said goodbye to Tonks and Remus, who walked away holding hands, and diaspparated to the Burrow._

* * *

They arrived at the Burrow at about 9 o'clock, and Hermione immediately rushed to go and throw some more things into the potion. She had decided to keep it in her and Ginny's room so that nobody else would inquire as to what she was doing.

Ron and Harry went up to Ron's room to put their things away.

'So, when are you going to go back?' Ron asked. Harry knew that he was talking about going to grimuald place.

'I don't know. I will have to, even though i don't want to, because it is _my_ house. I do have a duty to protect it, and all operations happening in it.' said Harry.

'When you go back, me and Hermione will go with you.' Said Ron

'I'm sure that Hermione would want to spend some time with her family this summer. There is afterall a war that she is going to be in.'

'She will, but of we don't get prepared for the war, then there will be nothing at all. And then she wouldnt have a family to go back to at all.'

'But-'

'But nothing. We are going with you.'

'Alright, you two can come with me. Its like a death house, everything seems so empty in there. Even with the order now using it again. I just don't want to feel the emptyness. And I don't want to see Kreacher.' Harry had to see that Kreacher went to Grimuald place for the summer because there wasnt going to be anyone at Hogwatrs to look after him.

They walked down the stairs and ran into Ginny and Hermione. They were on their way up to see the pair, but they didn't have to go very far.

Hermione smiled like she knew what they were just talking about. Which Harry thought that she probably did.

The time until Harry's birthday seemed to fly by, and it was just two days before when there was an attack that hit him close to heart. The prophet arrived that morning, and Harry looked at the from cover and he was shocked at the attack that occured.

**McGonagall, The New Headmistress of Hogwarts is Attacked at Her Home**

Harry almost screamed when he read this.

_The headmistress was at her home planning some special event for Hogwarts in the upcoming year, when several known Death Eaters(DE) entered her home. They demanded for her to tell the whereabouts of one Harry Potter, but when she would not tell, they used two of the three Unforgivable curses on her._

_'She was devistated' said her close friend Remus Lupin, who is a known werewolf, and was close to the late Albus Dumbledore. 'She will return to the school as headmistress, althought there is still a posision left to be filled.'_

_The posision that he spoke of is said to be cursed. In recent memory there hasn't been a teacher who lasted more than a year. One dead, one lost his memory, one shunned out of the school( Werewolf Lupin), one a death eater that recieved the dementors kiss, one who was attacked by a heard of centaurs, and one who turned on the headmaster and killed him._

The rest of the article went on to describe the people that were in the running for the posision next. It included a list of ministry wizzards, and Lupin , and even one suggestion that Harry would be teaching them himself.

That wasnt too far off of what he had done before, starting an illegal Defense Against the Dark Arts club in his fifth year. He had taught many students basic defense, and most of them had even learned how to produce a patronus. A patronus would shield you from a dementor, which just happened to be Harry's worst fear.

Harry showed the paper to Hermione and Ron and they were upset as well, but they were more concerned about the posision of the teacher being filled, or at least Hermione was.

'If we don't have a competent teacher in our final year, then we are almost certain to fail our NEWT exams! I really don't want to fail everything. That would ruin my future.' Hermione was almost in tears as she was saying all of this.

Harry had planned on going out to Godrics Hollow on his birthday, so that he could see his home, or rather what was left of it. Harry owned the property, but knew nothing about it.

So the next night he packed his things and got everything ready for his journey. He wasnt sure of the state of the property, or where it was or anything really, but he knew that the knight bus driver would know how to get there.

Hermione and Ron were going to go with him to Godrics Hollow, although Harry didnt yet know it. Every one showed up in the morning to wish him a happy birthday before he was off. He didn't want to open his gifts before he left, so he told them that he would do so when he got back to the Burrow.

Harry went to leav only to notice that there were two people following in his wake.

'Where do you two think that you are going?' Harry asked.

'Don't be an idiot, we're going with you. Just like I said. We are going to Godrics Hollow, and to find the Horocruxes with you.' said Ron as though he were repeating it for the hundredth time.

'You two-' he looked at their pleading eyes. 'Alright, but I dont want either of you to get hurt. If there is any trouble then I want you two to disapparate back here.' Ron was about to protest, so Harry continued 'With or without it being legal, or with or without your eyebrows.'

Harry finished and looked at the face Ron has given him. He was happy that they were coming with him. His two best friends and him, going to the town where it all began.

* * *

**Sorry about the time that it took to update it, I have just been really busy with work and stuff.. will update more often maybe.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Recap:**

_'Don't be an idiot, we're going with you. Just like I said. We are going to Godrics Hollow, and to find the Horocruxes with you.' said Ron as though he were repeating it for the hundredth time. _

_'You two-' he looked at their pleading eyes. 'Alright, but I dont want either of you to get hurt. If there is any trouble then I want you two to disapparate back here.' Ron was about to protest, so Harry continued 'With or without it being legal, or with or without your eyebrows.' _

_Harry finished and looked at the face Ron has given him. He was happy that they were coming with him. His two best friends and him, going to the town where it all began._

_

* * *

_

They left the house and walked to the town. They werent allowed to summon the knight bus while within the boundaries of the burrow.

The ride was the same as any other time that they had been on it, except for the fact that Stan Shunpike wasnt there. It made the ride quite un eventful, without him to talk about the gossip that he had heard from people who were on there previously.

They first stopped at the Leaky Cauldron and they let four people off. One Harry recognised as madam marsh, who for some reason wasnt as green as she usually was when she got off the bus. He didnt know the other three by name, but he knew that they also attended Hogwarts a couple years behind him in Ravenclaw.

That sparked something. The locket... the cup... the snake... something of Ravenclaw's or Gryffindor's. He wanted to start the search right away, but he had a feeling about going to where it all started. To Godrics Hollow.

They arrived there shortly after stopping at the Leaky Cauldron. Harry was surprised to see that it was a busy place. He half expected it to be a deserted town. But there were people out with dogs, and there was a feeling of something pulling him towards the park, which had many people there. Kids playing on the swings. There was also a large fenced in area with about eight dogs running around together.

Then Harry saw it. It was a large polished rock.

Hermione gasped as she read what it said.

_In memory of James and Lilly Potter. This park is dedicated to the memory of the two who were tragically murdered. Their son was sent to live in a place quite a ways from here. This park is built on the lot where the Potter home was. _

At the bottom of the rock their was a small place big enough to fit a baby's hand. Below it, it read _Harry Potter's hand print at age one._ Harry placed his hand on it and there was a blinding flash of light, and the three of them were transported into what seemed like an underground cave.

Harry was reminded of the cave that he had visited with Dumbledore on the night of his death. He could feel a magical presence in there. Harry had a good kind of bad feeling about this place. It was so welcoming, yet forbiding at the same time. Harry could tell that the other two did not feel the same about the place. They were scared.

'It's alright, I can feel something good in here.' Harry said.

'You can feel? Whats that supposed to mean?' Ron asked looking very worried.

'It means that you two don't have to be scared of being in here. There is a good presence in here.' Harry replied.

'What does it feel like?' Hermione asked after about a minute of just standing there.

Harry had one short reply. 'Home.'

'I know that feeling, Harry. I get it whenever I go to my house.' Hermione said, while Ron still looked confused. 'Its like a feeling of safety, like nothing can hurt you.'

But Ron didnt seem to notice anything that they had just said, but he was staring off into one direction, where there was a faint yellow glow.

'Whats that? Do you think-? Maybe its a Horocrux Harry!' said Ron after snapping out of his state of mind.

'I think that you might be right Ron!' said Harry excitedly. By this time they all had their wands lit and were making their way towards the light.

They made their way past many boulders, and a few bones from rats. Harry didnt care what he was walking on. All he was concerned about was finding out what that yellow light was.

They must have been walking for at least an hour and a half when they decided to have a break. Hermione transfigured a few rocks into beanbag chairs, and they sat there. She conjured up some cups and a jug of juice as well.

'I love you Hermione.' Ron said for what was not the first time as he gulped back his drink. Hermione blushed at this.

'Well at least you finally realised that.' Harry said plainly. Ron made to hit him, but he stopped when Hermione put her hand on his shoulder.

There was then an awkward silence as the two of them looked into eachothers eyes.

'Well I'm ready to get going again.' Said Harry, breaking the silence.

'Oh yah... right.' Said Ron who seemed to be at a loss for words.

They walked on for about another half hour, before coming to their first obstacle.

There was a very large hole in the ground, about 4 metres wide. Harry knew that he could easily jump over it, but he wasnt sure if the other two could.

'So... are we going to jump?' Hermione asked as though she had just read his mind.

'Will you two be able to jump it?' Harry asked

'Well... in school, before I knew I was a witch, I used to do long jump. My personal best seven years ago was three metres and eighty nine centemetres. That was seven years ago, so I should be able to.'

'Alright. What about you Ron? Ron?'

'I- I- I'm not jumping that. What if I don't make it?'

'Come on. I know that you can... its not that hard.' pleaded Harry.

'Have you seen what is down there?' Ron asked.

Harry shined the light from his wand down the hole and thought that he saw Aragog reborn.

'See what I mean.' Said Ron.


	6. Chapter 6

**Recap:**

_'Have you seen what is down there?' Ron asked._

_Harry shined the light from his wand down the hole and thought that he saw Aragog reborn._

_'See what I mean.' Said Ron._

* * *

The acromantula in the hole, was probably about the same size of the one that had recently passed away at Hagrids. It didnt seem like it was in for much excitement, but rather that it wanted to have company. Hermione is the one who understood this. 

She approached the edge of the hole and she started to chatter wierdly. It turned out that she was an arachnaparle, which meant that she could talk to spiders and scorpions, or rather any type of invertibret.

She then got up and talked to Harry and Ron.

'She says that if we do fall in, we are supposed to die, but she doesnt want to do that. If we fall in she is going to grab us and help us back up to the top.'

Ron said nothing, but slightly backed away from Hermione.

'Why didnt you tell us that you could talk to them great things?' Harry asked

'I didnt think that it was realy all that important. And besides' she lowered her vioce to a whisper 'look what it does to Ron.' she had a gloomy look on her face when she finished her statement. Ron who by that time was almost out of the wand light took a step forward.

'So- um- are we- um going now?' He asked

'Yes, we are, lets go Hermione.' The both took a few steps back and took a running start at getting over the hole.

'I didn't mean that way! I meant go home!' Ron yelled, sounding depressed.

'Too late Ron, we are going to find that Horocrux.' said Hermione 'With or without you. I personally would prefer if you were with us, but I dont think that it would stop us completely if you left.'

'I know I'm gona regret this' Ron muttered.

He ran and jumped and he made it, well almost. He was hanging off the edge and then there were the hairy legs around him. He stopped breathing, because of the fear that he was feeling.

The giant spider simply pushed him up the ledge and then she went back to her peaceful den.

Ron snaped out of his non breathing daze within secconds of the spider being gone. He was truely petrified of them.

'Lucky you had a good feeling about this place Harry' Ron said sarcasticly.

'Well at least she didn't try to eat you.' Said Harry.

'There always has to be a bright side, doesnt there?' Said Ron

'Harry' Hermione said 'We're almost there!'

And right she was. they were at the doorway of a circular room with a large column in the middle. The glow seemed to be coming from the top of it.

'And how are we supposed to get all the way up there?' Ron asked.

Hermione came up with something that Harry suspected that she would 'I could conjure some brooms if-'

'Brooms won't work.' Said Harry as though he had repeated it for the hundredth time. 'Voldemort would have thought of that. We have to look for traces of magic.'

'And how are we supposed to know if we find some? We don't even know what Voldemorts signature is like!' Hermione said trying to be the smart one.

'I will know it if I find it. It might be a ladder, might be stairs. I dont know, but all I know is that we have to get up there.' Harry said

'How would you know his magical signature?' asked hermione.

'I have been attacked by him countless times and I believe that I will notice if it isnt a regular rock.' Harry said rebutting her last statement.

'But you-' Hermione started

'I will know, and if I dont know I am still going to try. That may just be one 7th of Voldemorts soul up there, and one of the four or five parts that are left.' Harry said starting to get annoyed. 'If I'm wrong then you can boast all you want, but I _am_ going to try, wether I am successful or not, we dont know untill I stop getting argued with and get the chance to try this out!'

The sadness was etched into Hermione's face as she moved back towards the wall.

'If you want to help me you could try and remember some spells for finding out if there is magic on the surface of something.' Harry said starting to feel bad. 'That way we can see if my guesses are acurate.'

She nodded and got the same look on her face as she did whenever she was trying hard to remember something.

Harry started looking at the wall around the pillar in the middle and feeling it in some spots as though he would feel a difference in temerature. He however approached one place on the wall and felt his body quiver just like it did the first time that he found his wand in Olivanders.

'Hermione what do you know about wands and their cores. Like you know that mine has the tailfeather of a phoenix, and a feather from the same one is in Voldemort's wand. Do you know if I would have any specific connections with the palces that he used his wand.'

' I believe so. Also the owner, or master of the animal would have connections with the magic.' Hermione stated.

It all made sence. Why Dumbledore could sence where Voldemort had cast his spells. Harry could feel it too. Harry had never told Ron and Hermione that his wands core came from Dumbledores bird, because he never thought that it was too important, now he realised how important it really was.

'Have you figured out the spell yet?' Harry asked .

'Oh, yes. It is _seance ancien._ Do you want to do it or do you want me to?' Hermione asked.

'You can do this part, its the part you are best at. The smart stuff. The spot is right here.' Harry said. Ron was lurking in the backround with a look of disbelief on his face.

'_Seance Ancien!_' Hermione shouted while making complicated movements with her wand.

A thin stream of smoke went from the tip of her wand and over to the wall where it turned into flames. The flames were a purple-red colour and when they died away there was no sign that the wall was on fire at all.

'That means that there is a spell here.' She said. 'The question is what it is.'

'I think i know what it is. Do you have you daggar with you?' Harry asked Ron.

'Yea, but what do you need it for?' He asked holding it just out of Harry's reach.

'The wall needs payment. If I am correct, and Voldemort is indeed following a pattern, than the payment is blood.' Harry said.

Before Harry could stop him, Ron too the daggar and dug it into the back of his hand, making it blead.

'What did you do that for! I was going to pay it!' Harry yelled.

'Listen mate,' said Ron approaching the wall 'your blood is a hell of a lot more valueable than mine, so I decide that I would pay it instead of letting you weaken yourself .'

'Well at least you and Dumbledore agree on something. You both seem to think that I'm too valuable to use my blood to open my own future. Lets just hope you dont end up like him.' Harry said. The whole time that Harry was speaking, Hermione was healing the cut on the back of Rons Hand.

Little had they noticed, the pillar in the middle had began to decline towards the ground , and it stopped when it was almost level with them.

In the middle of the pit that had just formed (the pillar went a little below where the were standing) there was what looked like a statue inside a glass case. Upon further inspection Harry realised that inside the glass case there was a small two handled golden coloured cup.

'It's Hufflepuff's cup!' Harry ran towards it not to touch it, but to get a closer look.

'It's Beautiful' Hermione said.

'How are we supposed to get that?' Ron asked.


	7. Chapter 7

**Recap:**

_'It's Hufflepuff's cup!' Harry ran towards it not to touch it, but to get a closer look. _

_'It's Beautiful' Hermione said._

_'How are we supposed to get that?' Ron asked._

* * *

They stood there. For how long they had no idea, they were amazed at how it gave off the yellow light. They were also pondering on how to get the cup from within the glass.

'It's almost as though its like a light bulb.' Hermione said.

'Whats that?' asked Ron

'It's a bulb that gives off light by being screwed into- hang on- maybe we have to twist it out of there. It would only make sence.' Harry said.

'I'm still confused as to how a light bulb works, but we could try that. That is if we were about a metre taller.' Said Ron.

'Ron has a point Harry. I dont think that any of us are tall enough to be able to lift that out without doing some major damage to ourselves or the cup.' Said Hermione

Harry though on this . He started wondering what it was that happened next in the cave. An obstacle. He looked up and saw what looked like a branch coming out of the wall, but it had a hook on the end of it. He looked around the base of the glass case, and saw that there was a indent all the way around the glass.

'I think that we are supposed to hoist it up using that,' He pointed to the branch. 'and that.' He finished his statement while pointing at the indent all the way around the glass.

'But what are we supposed to use to hoist it up there?' Hermione asked.

'The spider.' Ron whispered. 'It has webs there, and it would make a flexible type of rope that could hold alot of weight. But I don't want to be the one to go and get it, I'll leave that up to you two.'

'Ron! You are a genius! I would have never thought of that!' Said Hermione. 'I'll go talk to her and see what she can do!'

With that she left.

'Harry?' Ron asked

'Yes you should.' Harry said knowing what the question was going to be.

'But what if something goes wrong? What if it makes us hate eachother?' He said

'You two have already been through so much. Fighting every year. Lavander knew that she had a thing for you. And I know that you have a thing for her.' Harry said.

Just then Hermione returned with a good length of the spiders web.

'She gave us this. She said to tie the end to a rock and throw it over the stick and then tie the end around the case. Then one of us turns the bulb, while the others hoist it up. I guess she said its really heavy. The Dark Lord made her carry it in many years ago.' Hermoine said as she was looking on the ground for what she thought would be a good rock.

'Sounds good. So who is turning and who is lifting?' Ron asked awkwardly.

'I think that you should turn, after all, I dont think that you want to be grabbing onto the spiders web and pulling.' Harry said,

'Sounds good to me. I really really don't like spiders.' With that he shuddered.

'Found one!' Hermione shouted. It looked like she had found a good size of rock to tie the webbing around and toss over the branch.

Hermione tied it and then passed it onto Harry. She then took the other end of it so that it wouldnt end up all going over it.

Harry took the rock and threw it as hard as he could over the branch. He missed the first two times, but then he got it.

'Third times a charm' He said once it was over.

Hermione then took the part that the rock was on and tied that arond the caseing. Then they all took their places.

'Alright Ron!' Harry said 'Turn it now!' He and Hermione lifted and put their entire body weight towards the ground as Ron started turning it as fast as he could which couldn't have been an easy feat, seeing as he was forced to use both of his arms, one on either side to turn it.

It seemed like they were getting nowhere, but they were getting so far. By the time that the bulb came loose, Harry and Hermione were almost laying on the ground.

'We did it! Now how are we supposed to get out of here?' Ron asked.

Harry had only just noticed that the yellow light had gone out. He realized that he could now break the lightbulb.

'The light is out of the socket now, so we should be able to break it without triggering anything, just so that we dont have to lug this _huge_ thing around for very long.' Harry said.

' Can I break it?' Ron asked.

'You sure can Ron' replied Harry

Ron went and found one of the rocks that Hermione had thrown aside and took it over to the glass and then held it in his hand.

'Here goes.' Ron said almost nervously.

He brought the rock down and there was an almost defening crack as the glass shattered into thousands of pieces.

The cup laid there mixed in with the shattered remains, and glistening with the light that was now coming from above them.

Harry bent down and picked up the cup and looked skywards. Much to his surprise he could see the sky. It was as though the breakign of the bulb had gotten rid of the ceiling of the cave. The sky was a shade of blue that can only be seen when the sun has set, but hasn't totally faded away yet.

'Hermione can you perform that spell on the place that the bulb was in.' I think that it needs payment to let us get oout as well.' Harry said

She performed the spell and the flames inside the socket were the same purple red colour and then were extinguished.

'I have a cut from the glass. I will make the payment this time.' Harry said as Ron reached for his daggar. 'You two stand in the pit.'

Harry had purposely put his hand down on the glass when he saw that the flames were the same colour. He didn't want Ron to cut his hand open again.

Harry went to the socket and squeezed his hand into a fist. The blood trickled between his fingers and into the hole and the pit that they were standing in became a platform. It rose and it kept on rising. The closer it got to the top, the more things started to change on it.

'Wow!' Hermione said as grass started to sprout on the platform.

'Look at that!' Ron said. It was rather interesting what he was pointing to.

The Socket was becoming more shallow, and growing into being a drinking fountain. The bottom of the pedastal was thining out and the basin was shallow. Harry pushed the button to make the water flow, and the water ran red before turning crystal clear.

'Did you see the blood running?' Harry asked. But there was no response.

Ron and Hermione were already wandering through the park, where they had just left a mere few hours previous.

Harry went back to the rock and on it there was another imprint of his hand. He read the inscritpion.

_Harry Potter's hand print on his 17th birthday. Saving the world one at a time._

Harry then reached down his shirt and pulled out the gold locket and chain. He pulled out the piece of paper, which was starting to be worn out from being folded and refolded countless times. _R.A.B. _

He wanted so badly to know who that was, but he contented himself with staring at it while Ron and Hermione were on the slide holding hands.


	8. Chapter 8

**Recap:**

_Harry went back to the rock and on it there was another imprint of his hand. He read the inscritpion._

Harry Potter's hand print on his 17th birthday. Saving the world one at a time.

_Harry then reached down his shirt and pulled out the gold locket and chain. He pulled out the piece of paper, which was starting to be worn out from being folded and refolded countless times. R.A.B. _

_He wanted so badly to know who that was, but he contented himself with staring at it while Ron and Hermione were on the slide holding hands. _

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Harry and the others were on their way back to the burrow and Harry broke down. He kept on getting closer with each horocrux he destroyed, he would be closer to the end of the war, with it coming down to man on man, no back up soul, just murder.

'Harry are you alright' Hermione asked

'I'm fine. I just cant wait till that bastard dies.' Harry said 'He has taken every thing I have ever wanted. Parents, Sirius, Ginny, and heaven only knows what else will be gone by the time he is done his rampage.'

'Oh Harry! I'm so sorry!' she said

'I'm sick of people telling me that they are sorry too. It only makes me feel worse. I get no encouragement, just "I'm so sorry for your loss" no good luck, no go get him, no kill that evil snake.'

'I want you to kill him Harry. I dont mean Avada Kedavra, I mean bloody murder. Make him suffer, just as much as you have.' Ron said. 'That is highly unpossible, but I want you to try.'

'Don't you worry about that. I will try.'

When they arrived at the burrow, which was surprisingly close to Godrics Hollow, they went inside and freshened up. Harry thought of all the things he had left to get his hands on.

The locket, the snake something of Ravenclaw's or Gryffindore's. It was almost as though it was haunting him.

When they went up to bed, and Harry fell asleep, he fell into a nightmare.

He was frozen, he couldnt move, but there wasnt cold around him, there were scales. It was the snake. The snake was wearing a necklace and had its body wrapped around harry.

No matter what he did he couldnt escape. he saw another version of himself aproach the the entangled mess and shoot off spells as harry screamed with no sound coming out.

Harry was dead in the dream, but he was still observing the scene in front of him, he watched himself destroy the cup then voldemort himself. 

It was then that he was shaken awake by Ron who was just heading to bed. Harry was in a cold sweat. He has just realised what the dream had probably meant

'Ron, I am the last horocrux.' he said


End file.
